תמונות בעמוד
PDF
ePub
[ocr errors]

and changed also, that is a double Wrong that God is in one Mind; for all thefe and Dishonour to his Majefty. Hath He many Ways and Judgments He is in one not said, I am God, and change's not: He Mind, to gather the Saints, to build up in one Mind, who canturn him? How the Church, the Body of Chrift. This is comes it then that ye doubt of his Love as His End, all other Bufineffes is in the by, oft as ye change? When ye are in a | and fubfervient to this; therefore he will good Temper, ye think He loves you; change it as He pleafes, but His great Purwhen it is not fo, ye cannot believe but pofe of Good to His People all the World He is angry and hates you is not this to cannot hinder. Let us then establish our fpeak quite contrary to the Word, that he Souls in this Confideration; all is clear a is a God that changes, that He is not in bove, albeit cloudy below; all is calm in one Mind, but now in one, and then in Heaven, albeit tempeftuous here upon another, as oft as the unconstant Wind of Earth: There is no Confufion, no Difa Soul's felf-pleating Humour turns about. order in His Mind; though we think the Here is your Reft and Confidence; if World out of Courte, and that all Things you will be established, not within your reel about with Confufion, He hath one felves, not upon Marks and Signs within Mind in it, and who can turn Him? you, which ebb and flow as the Sea, and And that Mind is Good to them that trust change as the Moon, but upon His un- in Him; And therefore, who can turn changeable Nature and faithful Promifes. away our Good? Let Men confuit and This we defire to hold out to you all, as imagine what they please, let them pafs one Ground for all; you would every one Votes and Decrees what to do with His have fome particular Ground in your own People,yet it is all to no Purpofe, for there Difpofition, and Condition, and think it is a Counfet above, an older Counsel general Doctrine only which layeth it not which muft ftand and take Place in alt home fo; but believe it, I know no Ground Generations. If Mens Conclufions be not of real Soul-eftablishment, but general according to the Counsel of His Will, they Truths, and Principles common to you are but imaginary Dreams, like the Fanall; and our Businefs is not to lay any o-cies of a distracted Perfon, who imaginther Foundation, or moe Foundations, ac-ing himfelf a King, fits down on the cording to your different Conditions, but Throne, and gives out Decrees and Or to lay this one Foundation, Chrift, and dinances. May not He who fits in HeaGod unchangeable, and to exhort every ven laugh at the Foolishness and Mad one of you to make that general Founda- nefs of Men, who act in all Things as if tion your own in partticular, by leaning to they had no Dependance on Him, and it, and building upon it, and claiming to go about their Business, as if it were not it; alrother are fandy and ruinous. contrived already; it is a ridiculous Thing for Men to order their Business, and fet the their own Conclufions, without once minding One above them, who hath not only a negative, but an affirmative Vote in all Things: It's true, that God in his deep Wisdom hath kept up His particular Purposes fecret, that Men may walk ac

Let us now in this fad Time prefs Con folation from this. The Lord's Hand is in all this; it's immediate every Difpenfation, and it's only Carnal-mindedness that cannot fee him ftretching out his Hand to every Man,with his own Poron of Affliction: Know this one Thing,

cording

cording to an appointed Rule, and ule all Means for compaffing their intended Ends; and therefore it is well faid, Prudens futuri temporis exitum, caliginofa nocte premit Deus; but yet withall we fhould mind that of James, If the Lord Will, and go about all Things, even the moft probable, with Submiffion to his Will and Pleasure. And therefore, when

Men go without their Bounds, either in Fear of Danger, or Joy conceived in Succeffes. Ridetque fi mortalis ultra fas trepidet, &c. Excefs of Fear, Excefs of Hope, Excefs of Joy in these out ward Things, is, as it were, ridiculous to Him, who hath all thefe Things appointed with Him. To him be Praile and Glory.

Eph. i. 11. In whom also we have obtained an Inheritance being predeftinated, &c. \\

Rom. ix. 22, 23. What if God, willing to fhew His Wrath, audtomake His Power known, &c.

אן

the Creation of the World, it pleaffet Man,, as it were, in the Center or ed the Lord, after all Things were framed and difpofed, to make one Creature to rule over all, and to him He gave the mok · excellent * Nature, and Privileges beyond the reft; fo that it may appear that He had made all Things for Man, and Man immediately for His own Glory: As Man was the chief of the Works of his Hands, so we may, according to the Scriptures, conceive that he was chiefly minded in the Counfels of his Heart. And that, as in the Execution of his Purpofe in creating the World, Man had the Preheminence affigned unto him, and all feemed fubordinate unto him; fo, in the Lord's Purposes concerning the World, his Purpose about Man has the Prehemi Bence. He, indeed, has refolved to declare the Glory of his Name in this World; Therefore the Heavens and Firmament are made Preachers of that Glory, Pfal. xix. 1, 2, &c. But in a special Man ner, his Majefty's glorious Name is manifefted in Man, and about Man; he hath

Midft of the Creation, that all the Crea tures might direct or bring in their Praises unto him, to be offered up in his and their Name to the Lord their Maker by him, as the common Mouth of the World; and the Lord hath chosen this Creature a bove all the Creatures, for the more folemn and glorious: Declaration of Himfelf in his fpecial Properties; therefore we should gather our Thoughts in this. Business, to hear from the Lord what his Thoughts are towards us; for, certainly, the right Underftaning of his everlafting. Counfel, touching the eternal State of Man, is of fingular Virtue to con form us to the Praife of his Name, and eftablish us in Faith and Confidence. Pre deftination is a Mystery indeed,, into which we should not curiously and boldly enquire beyond what is revealed; for then a Soul muft needs lofe it felf in that Depth of Wifdom, and perish in the Search of Unfearchablenefs; And thus the Word speaks: in Scripture of this Subject intimating to

[ocr errors]

from everiafting conceived one Purpose of manifefting His own Glory in such several Ways: And this is the Head-fpring of all that befalls Creatures, Men and Angels. But becaufe in the Execution of this. Purpose, there is a certain Order, and Succeffion, and Variety, therefore Men do ordinarily fancy fuch or fuch a Frame and Order in the Lord's Mind and Purpose. And as the Aftronomers do cut and carve in their Imagination, Cycles, Orbs, and Epicycles in the Heavens, because of the various and

Stars in them, whereas it may be, really, there is but one Celeftial Body, in which all these various Lights and Motions do appear: So do Men fancy unto themselves an Order in the Lord's Decree, according to the Phanomena, or Appearances of His Works in the World; whereas it is one Purpofe and Decree, which in its infinite Compafs comprehends all these Varieties and Orders together: This much we may indeed lawfully conceive of His Decree, that there is an exact Correspondence and Suitablenefs between His Majefty's Purpofe and Execution, and that he is a wife Lord, wonderful in Counfel, and ex cellent in working, having fome great

~us, that it is rather to be admired than concerning infinite Objects. The Lord hath ceived; and that there ought to be fome • Ignorance of thefe Secrets, which, conjoyned with Faith and Reverence, is more learned than any curious Knowledge But withall we muft open our Eyes upon fo much Light as God reveals of these Secrets, knowing, that the Light of the Word is a faving refreshing Light, not confounding, as is his inacceffible Light of fecret Glory. As far as it pleases his Majefty to open his Motuh, let us not clofe our Ears, but open them alfo to his Inftruction, knowing, that as he will with-different Appearances and Motions of hold no neceffary Thing for our Salvation, fo he will reveal nothing but what is profitable. This is the beft Bond of Sobrie ty and humble Wifdom, to learn what he teacheth us, but when he makes an End of teaching, to defire no more Learning: It's Humility to feek no more, and it is true Wisdom to be content with no lefs. There is much Weaknefs in our conceiving of Divine Things; we fhape and form them in our Minds according to a Mould of our own Experience, or Invention, and cannot conceive of them as they are in themselves: If we should speak properly, there are not Counfels and Pur pofes in God, but one entire Counsel and Refolution concerning all Things whichPlot and Defign before his Eyes, which he are in Time, by which he hath difpofed all in their feveral Times, Seasons, Conditions, and Orders; but because we have many Thoughts, about many Things, fo we cannot well conceive of God, but in Likenels to our felves; And therefore the Scripture, condescending to our Weaknefs, fpeaks lo. How many are thy precious Thoughts towards me, faith David; and yet indeed, there is but one Thought of him, and us, and all, which one Thought is of fo much Virtue, that it is equivalent to an infinite Number of Thoughts, con

intends to effect, and which is, as it were, the great Light and Sun of this Firmament, unto which, by that fame wonder. ful Counfel, all other Things are fubor dinate; and fo in the working it shall ap pear exactly, as his Counfel did deline ate and contrive it.

There is no Man fo empty or shallow, but he hath fome great Defign and Pur pofe which he chiefly aims at hall we not then conceive, that the Lord, who in fructs every Man to this Difcretion, and teaches him, Ife, axviii. 26. is himself

[ocr errors]

The right establishing of this will help us to conceive aright of his Counfel of Predeftination: It is a common Cavil of carnal Reafon, how can the Lord rejea fo many Perfons, and fore ordain them to Deftruction? It feems most contrary to his Goodness and Wildom, to have fuch an End of eternal Predeftination before Him, in the creating of fo many Thou Lands, to make Men for nothing but to damn them; Here carnal Reafon, which is Enmity to God, triumphs; But confider, I fay, that this is not the Lord's End and chief Delign to destroy Men; even as it

i wife in his Counfel, and hath fome grand eternal Glory, from whence all did. Project before him in all this Fabrick of fpring. : the World, and the upholding of it fince it was made? Certainly he hath; and if you ask what it is, the wife Man will teach you in general, He made all Things for Himfelf, even the wicked for the evil Day, Prov. xvi. 4. Here then is his great Defign and Purpose, to glorify Himself, to manifeft his own Name, to Men and Angels. Now, his Name comprehends Wisdom, Goodnefs, Power, Mercy, and Justice; the first three He declares in all the Works of his Hands, all are well done, and wifely done, the Excellency of the Work fhews the won derful Counsellour, and the wife Contri-is not his Majefty's first Look, or furthest ver; the Goodness of any Creature in its Kind, declares the inexhaufted Spring of a Self-being from whom it proceeds, and the bringing all thefe out of nothing, and upholding them is a glorious Declaration of his Power: But yet, in all the Works of his Hands, there is nothing found to manifeft His glorious Mercy, and Juftice, upon which are the Flower and Garland of his Attributes, and unto which Wifdom and Power feems to be fubfervient; Therefore his Majefty, in that one entire Purpose of his own Glory, refolves to manifeft his Wrath, and his Mercy, upon Men and Angels, Subjects capable of it; which two Attributes are as the Poles about which all the Wheels of Election and Reprobation turns, as you fee in the Place, Rom, ix. 22, 23. Let this then be established as the End of all his Works, as it is defigned in his Counfel, and no thing elfe. It is not the Creature, nor a ay Thing in the Creature, which is first in his Mind, but Himfelf, and therefore, of Him, and for Him are all Things; Here they have their Rife, and thither hey return, even to the Ocean of God's

Reach to give unto others eternal Life; fo it is not His prime Intent to fink them. into eternal Death, as if that were his Pleafure and Delight; no indeed, nei ther is the Creature's Happiness, nor its Mifery that which first moves Him,, or is moft desired of Him, but Himfelf only, and He cannot move out of himself to any Bufinefs, but he muft return it unto Himfelf; therefore the wife Preacher expreffes. it well, He made all for Himfelf, even.. the wicked for the Day of Evil; It was not His great End of creating wicked Men to damn them, or creating righteous Men to fave them, but both are for a further and higher End, for Himfelf and His own Glory.

All feem to agree about this, That the great End of all the Lord's Counfel and Decrees, is, his own Glory to be manifefted on Men and Angels; and that this muft be firft in his Mind; not that there is fir or laft with Him,but to speak after the Manner of Men. If He had many Thoughts as we have, this would be His firft Thought and in this one Purpofe this End is chiefly. aimed at, and all other Things are by the

Lord's

Lord's Counfel, fubordinate to this as cerning all the Works of His Hands; Means to compass that: But as concerning Therefore they bring in Fore-knowledge the Order of these Means, and confequently to fmooth their irreligious Conceit of God, of his Majefty's Purpofe about them, Men as if the Lord, upon His Purpose of by examining his Majefty according to the creating Man, had fore-feen what should Creature's Rules, or according to Senfe, befall him, and fo purposed to permit it bring Him down far below His own in- to be fo, that out of it He might erect finite Greatness. Some conceive, that fome glorious Fabrick of Mercy and Juf that was first, as it were, in His Mind tice upon the Ruins of Man; And that which is firft done: Looking upon the little or nothing may be left to the abfolute Execution of His Purpose in the Works of Sovereign Will of God, to which the His Power, they imagine, that as He firft Scripture afçribes all Things, they muft created Man righteous, fo this was His again imaging, that upon His Purpose of first Thought concerning Man, to create fending Chrift to fave Sinners, he is yet Man for the Glory of his Goodnefs and undetermined about the particular End of Power, without any particular Determi- particular Men, but watches on the Tower nation as yet of His End. And I conceive, of Fore-knowledge to efpie what they will this is the Thought of the Multi.ude of do, whether Men will believe in His Son People; they think God was difappointed or not, whether they will perfevere in in His Work, when they hear He created Faith or not, and according to His Obfuch a glorious Creature, that is now be- fervation of their Doings, fo He apcome fo miferable; they cannot believe plies his own Will to carve out their Re that his Majesty had all this Sin and Mif ward or Portion of Life or Death. Thefe ery determined with Him when He pur- are even the Thoughts which are inbred pofed to create him, but look upon the in your Breafts by Nature; that which the Emergent of Man's Fall into Sin and Mif-learned-call Arminianifm, is nothing elfe ery as a Surprifal of his Majefty; as if He had meant another Thing in creating him, and fo was, upon this Occasion of Man's Sin, driven to a new Confultation about the helping of the Business, and making the best out of it that might be. Thus through Wifdom the World knows not God; they think God altogether like themfelves, and fo.liken Him to the Builder of an Houfe, who fet nothing before him in doing fo, but to build it after that Manner for his own Ends, but then being furprized with the Fall and Ruin of it, takes a new Advifement, and builds it up again upon another furer Foundation; But because they cannot fay, that God takes any new Advisements in Time, but muft confets, that all His Counfels are everlasting con

but the carnal Reafon of Mens Hearts, which is Enmity to God; it is that very Difputation which Paul in this Chap. exclaims againft, Who art thou, O Man, that difputes.

But certainly, all this Contrivance is nothing befeeming the Wisdom or Sovereignty of God, but reflects upon both; upon his Wifdom, that he thould have Thoughts of creating the moft noble of his Creatures, and yet be in fufpenfe about the End of the Creature, and have that in Uncertainty what Way his Glory fhall indeed be manifefted by it. Is it not the first and chief Thought of every wife Man, what He intends and aims at in his Work, and according to the Measure and Reach of His Wifdom, fo he reaches further in

« הקודםהמשך »